Compartment door latch



Dec. 28, 1943.

E. N. JACOB] 2,337,894

COMRARTMENT DOOR LATCH 7 Filed July 2'7, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fin/47rd M55051 gmzmakgm Dec. 28, 1943. E. N. JACOBI 2,337,894 COMPARTMENT DOOR LATCH I Filed July 27, 1942 g sneets-sheet 2 Edward N. M275 0! Patented Dec. 28, 1943 COMPARTMENT DOOR LATCH Edward N. Jacobi, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application July 27, 1942, Serial No. 452,433

Claims.

This invention relates to door latches, and particularly to latches of the type designed for use with automobile glove compartment doors forming the subject matter of the copending application of Edward N. Jacobi, Serial No. 403,122, filed July 19, 1941, and matured into Patent No.

2,301,282, of November 10, 1942.

The latch device of the aforesaid copending application has a formed sheet metal push button, but the housing or body as well as the bolt are die castings.

The present invention contemplates as one of its objects the provision of a latch device of this type wherein all of the parts thereof are sheet metal stampings to thus materially reduce the cost and produce a stronger construction.

In this connection it is another object of this invention to provide a latch device having a sheet metal frame or housing stamping so designed and constructed as to permit the same to be made in two simple press operations, one a blanking and piercing operation and the other a forming operation.

In latch devices of this type the bolt is pivotally mounted in the housing frame member and is spring pressed to an operative position projecting a portion thereof from the housing for engagement with a striker plate or keeper. Depression of a push button operatively connected with the bolt retracts the projecting portion to free the door for opening.

In the present instance the bolt is mounted on a pivot pin the ends of which are'received in sockets formed in the housing or frame member and it is a particular object of this invention to provide a novel manner of forming these sockets by which assurance is had against deformation of the sockets during the forming operation and by which the pivot pin may be directly supported to facilitate a staking operation by which the pin is secured against endwise shifting.

Another object of this invention is to provide an interconnection between the push button and bolt by which a simple hole pierced in the front wall of the frame or housing in cooperation with the connection between the bolt and push button satisfactorily mounts and guides the push button.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of means incorporated in the connection between the bolt and push button by which the push button is restrained against rotation.

Another object of this invention is to so mount the bolt spring that it reacts against the push button to hold it as well as the bolt against rattling.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the'appended c1aims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theflclaim s.

The accompanying drawings i1lustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical appli- 5 cation of the principles thereof, and in which:. I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of alatch device constructed in accordance with this-invention; I

Figure 2 is a rear end viewthereof;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the latch device showing the 1 same mounted on a compartment door and holding- Figure 5 is a perspectiveview illustrating the inner, end portion of the push; button and the latch bolt to show the manner in which the interconnection therebetween is effected;

like parts, the. numeral E-designates thedooriof a glove compartment onlyfthe upper wall 5 or closed the bolt automatically engages-behind the I striker platen The latch comprises ,astamping Ill which forms the housing member or frame member of the device'and has angularly disposed top "and front walls H and I2, respectively. These walls are preferably disposed atright angles to each other and their juncture is reinforced by bracelike indentations [3.

The side and rear edges of the top wall are bent down to provide side flanges It and a're'ar wall IS, the latter serving as aprotection against interferencewith operation of the latch mecha Referring now particularly to-theaccon'lpanwv mg drawings, in which like numerals indicate wall as desired;

an annular collar l1 surrounding the hole and projecting'out a slight distance from the front Wall.

The top wall II has a rectangular hole It therein andon" opposite sides of thisrectangular hole and at the bentcorners formed by the junctures of the top with its side flanges M are notches or openings l9. These notches or open-- ings l9 extend around the corners as shown so that part thereof lies in the top wall and the remainder in the side flanges. That portion of the notches which lies in the-flanges hl-hasaw round bottom to snugly receive the end portions of a pivot pin uponwhich the bolt 8 is Y mounted.

In addition to the hole l6 and the embossedcollar If! the front wall l2has two holes 2l-there- ,through' which fastening H means pass for mounting'the' latchv on the back of thedoor.

Attention is particularly directedto the fact that Ithe'housing member or frame member is .so designed and constructed that it requires only two simple press operations. The stamping ,needsonly to be pierced and blanked in one die and 'its'fouri edges bent up in another to coml'plete, the part;

. The Lnotchs 'or openings H] which serve as ,socketsffor the ends of thepivot pin extend aroundthe bentflcorne'rs at the junctions of the .top'wall with its side flanges for two reasons:

First; thisdesig'n' avoids the distortion that would take "place'if around hole'were pierced in the blank andthen thebla'nk bent closely adjacent to the hole; This 'would "cause the hole to be pulled partly around the bend resultingin'distortionso that it would no longer fit the pin.

' On the" other hand, if the holes were'to'be produced after the flanges were bent, extra operationswould be required as burrs would have to be'removed ,andit would be difificult to locate the, holes tangent to the inside face'of' the top Second, the elongated holes l9 provideaccess to the end-portions of the pin so that the pin can be directlysupported while it is staked to form protrusionsor exte'nsions'22 directly inside .the'side flanges and by which the pin is restrained against endwise' displacement. v

Not only does-the present' manner of assemblingthepin with the. housing member or frame .member result in simpler and less expensive construction, but also it improves the appearance of the device as the pin-needs no projecting heads to retain thesame in place The bolt 8, like thehousing member or frame member, isfa steel. stampingiand as best illustrated in Figure 5 is formedwith'two arms 23 and, disposed at. an-acute angle to each other. The arm 23 is channel shaped in cross section having side flanges 25 joined by aweb 26. the

outer end of which is turneddown to form a striker engaging surface 2'1.

The pivot pinby which the bolt is mounted passes through holes 28 in the side flanges, the

holes being so located that when the bolt is retracted as shown in FigureA its outer end is brought down flush with the top wall. 7

The side flanges 25 are; extended as shown in Figure 5 to form the arm 24. At the juncture I of the two arms, i. e. at the inner apex or point of the V msdfb theiWQ- rm aree ats a push button 30. The push button 30 is simian in construction to the button forming the subject matter of the aforesaid copending application in that it is formed entirely of sheet metal rolled into a tube and provided with a cap 3| on its outer end.

The push button is slidably received in the hole I6 and is held against outward displacement by a, spring stop 32 mounted in the push button and engaging the back of the front wall. This spring stop and the manner of its securement formspart of the subject matter covered by the aforesaidcopending application.

As distinguished from the latch device of said copending application, the push button in this instance requires no elaborate guide, as itsinner tubular end has a novel connection with the :latch bolt by which support is provided for the bolt. To this end the arm 24 of the latch bolt formed by the extensions 'of its side flanges projects into the rear open end of the bolt and the flanges receive therebet ween a rearwardly projecting tongue 33 extended from the push button. Theengagement of the tongue 33 between .the side-flanges of the .bolt holds'the' button against turning and as will be readily apparent the shoulders 29 are engaged by the rear edges 34 of the push button directly adjacent to its tongue'33. I

The arm 24'of the bolt is long enough to pre clude accidental disengagement thereof from the push button. Hence, through the support of the push button by arm 24 and the hole 5, the

push button is satisfactorily guided and mount ed for its required substantially axial movement. r

.Atorsiori spring 35 coiled about the pivot-pin between the side flanges of the bolt with one end .thereof .bearing against the under face of the bolt arm 23 and its, opposite end reacting against :the side of the. push button yieldingly urges the bolt .to its operative position at which the arm 23 projects through thethole I8 into the path of the striker plate 7.

.The action. 'of the spring also projects. the

,push button outwardly to the limit of its movement exceptiwhen thebolt engages behind the striker plate as when the door is closed. But at all times the reaction of the spring against the side of the push button holds the push button as well as the bolt against rattling.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying .drawings,v it will berfeadily apparent that this invention provides a latch 'device'which' is less expensive and alsoi'stronger than those heretoforein use on automobile glove compartment doors What-I claim as my. invention is 1. In a latch device 7 of the character described: a housing member having a front wall with a hole therethrough; a .push button slideable in said hole; means on the push button engageablewith a part of the'housing member forlimiting outward projection of the push button, the inner end portion at least of the push button being tubular; alatch bolt having-angularly disposed arms; means pivotally mounting I 2&33'23894 for the bolt received'in said sockets; said latch the latch bolt on the housing member behind its front wall to swing about an axis passing through the apex of the bolt and substantially parallel with the front wall and to one side of the path of the push button, and a spring acting on the latch bolt and biasing the same to an operative position, at which one of its arms protrudes from the housing member for engagement with a keeper, and the other arm projects into the tubular end of the push button, the inner edges of the arms of said bolt being shaped to provide a shoulder so spaced from the pivot axis of the latch bolt that pressure applied by the push button against said shoulder retracts the bolt against the action of its spring, and the arm of the bolt which projects into the push button being long enough to preclude disengagement thereof from the push button.

2. In a latch device of the character described: a housing member having a front wall with a hole 'therethrough to slideably receive a push button and having pivot sockets rearwardly of the front wall; a latch bolt having angularly disposed arms forming substantially a bell-crank lever; a pivot pin in the sockets mounting the latch bolt at its apex; a spring biasing the latch bolt to a position at which one of its arms projects from the housing member for engagement with a keeper and its other arm projects forwardly toward the front wall substantially in line with the hole therein; a pressure receiving shoulder in the crotch of the bolt facing the front wall and spaced radially from the pivot axis of the bolt; and a push button slideable in the hole through the front wall of the housing member, the inner end portion of the push button being tubular and having the adjacent forwardly projecting arm of the latch bolt received therein, so as to place the shoulder against the end of the push button, said interengagement of the bolt and push button cooperating with the hole in the front wall in guiding the push button.

3. In a latch device of the character described: a housing member having angularly disposed walls one of which has a push button receiving hole therethrough and the other of which has a hole for the reception of a latch bolt; means on said last named wall providing pivot sockets at opposite sides of its hole; a latch bolt; a pivot for the bolt received in said sockets; said latch bolt having angularly disposed arms one of which is a keeper engaging arm projectible through said bolt receivin hole and the other of which is directed toward the front wall substantially in line with the hole therein; a push button slideably received in the hole in the front wall with its inner end interconnected with the arm of the bolt projecting forwardly toward the front wall; a shoulder at the base of the forwardly projecting arm of the bolt spaced radially from its pivot axis and engageable by the push button so that the pressure applied on the push button rocks the bolt on its pivot; and a spring acting on the bolt and biasing the same to an operative position at which the push button is yieldingly held out by the bolt and the keeper engaging arm of the bolt projects through the bolt receiving hole for engagement with a keeper.

4. In a latch device of the character described; a. housing member having angularly disposed walls one of which has a push button receiving hole therethrough and the other of which has a hole for the reception of a latch bolt; means on said last named wall providing pivot sockets at opposite sides of its hole; a latch bolt; pivots bolthaving angularly disposed arms one of which is a keeper engaging arm projec'tible through said bolt receiving hole and the other of which is'directed toward the front wall substantially in line with the hole therein; a push button slidably received in the hole in the front wall with its inner end interconnetced with the arm of the bolt projecting forwardl toward the front wall; a shoulder at the base of the forwardly projecting arm of the bolt spaced radially from, its pivot axis and engageable by the push button so that the pressure applied on the push button rocks the bolt on its pivots; and a spring acting on the bolt and biasing the same to an operative position at which the push button is yieldingly held out by the bolt and the keeper engaging arm of the bolt projects through the bolt receiving hole for engagement with a keeper; said spring reacting against the push button to hold the same against rattling.

5. In a latch device of the character described: the combination of a pivoted latch bolt having angularly disposed arms with a pressure receiving shoulder at the base of one of the arms, said shoulder being spaced radially from the pivot axis of the bolt; a tubular push button having said arm of the bolt received in its inner end with part of the rear edge of the push button engageable with said shoulder to rock the bolt on its pivot upon depression of the push button; and a bolt spring confined between the bolt and the push button.

6. In a latch device of the character described: a housing member comprising a stamping having angularly disposed front and top Walls; the front wall .having a hole for the reception of a push button and the top Wall having a hole to accommodate a latch bolt; flanges on the side edges of the top wall; and pivot pin sockets to receive the pivots of a latch bolt; said sockets being formed by notches in the bent corners at the junctions of the top Wall with its side flanges, said notches being of sufficient size to extend around the bent corners.

7. As an article of manufacture: a stamped sheet metal housing member for latch devices of the type used on glove compartment doors of automobiles, said housing member having angularly disposed front and top walls, the top wall having a bolt receiving hole one end of which is adjacent to the front wall; down-turned flanges on the side edges of the top wall; notches in the bent corners at the junctures of the top wall and its side flanges at opposite sides of the bolt receiving hole, said notches extending around the bent corners so that a pivot pin for the latch bolt received therein is accessible from above the top wall and so that the notches are not deformed as the flanges are bent down from the top wall; and the front wall having a push button receiving hole and attaching ears by which the housing may be secured to a supporting panel.

8. In a latch device of the character described: a stamped sheet metal housing member having a top wall with a bolt receiving hole therethrough; flanges on the sides of the top wall at opposite sides of the bolt receiving hole; a latch bolt; a pivot pin for the latch bolt; pivot sockets in the side flanges of the top wall having the ends of pin received therein; said pivot sockets extending around the bent corners at the junctions of the top wall with its side flanges so that the ends of the pivot pin are accessible from above the top wall; and protrusions on the end portions of the pivot pin directly adjacent to said [side flanges to hold the pin against axial displacement, the accessibility of the pivot pin end 7 portions from above the top wall enabling direct support of the pin during the formation ofsaid protrusions.

9. In a latch device of the character described: achousing member; a push button; mounted in 'the housing member for axial movement, at least the inner end portion of the push button being tubular; a tongue projeotingirom the inner'end of the push button; and a latch boltpivoted on the housing member and having angularly disposed arms forming a bell-crank lever with the pivot for the bolt atthe apex of the lever, one of the arms of the bell-crank shaped bolt pro- .jecting into the rear end of the push button, said projecting arm of the bolt having spaced flanges between which the projecting tongue on the push button is received whereby the push button is restrained against turning.

' 10; Ina latch device or the character described, the combination of: a pivoted latch bolt having angularly disposed arms with a pressure receiving shoulder at the juncture thereof, said shoulder being spaced radially from the pivot axis of the bolt which is adjacent to its apex; a tubular push button having one arm of the bolt received inits' inner end so that part of the rear edge of 'the push button is engageable with said bolt to rock'the bolt on its pivot upon depression of the push button; a supporting wall having a hole in which the front end portion of the push button is slideably received, said supporting wall cooperating with the arm of the bolt projecting into the inner end of the push button to guidejand mount the push button; and a spring biasing the bolt to an operative position at which the push button is projected outwardly.

EDWARD N. JACOBI. 

